Practice Using the Sonic Ranger through the BIB (basic interface box)

• Download the software from www.rose-hulman.edu/~hatten, or get it directly below
• Get New Physics Lab Software(this is a live link to the zipped software)
• Put the zipped software in a directory where you will want it
• Unzip the software
• Double-click on SonicRanger2.exe
• This should come up and act ready to run, even if you are not connected to the BIB
• If it moans and groans, you may have to load 3 m*.dll files in your windows system directory to get your program to run (usually this is not necessary)

• Plug the sonic ranger (cord hanging from ceiling) into the BIB interface
• Connect the BIB to your laptop via the parallel port.
• Plug in the DC wall plug to the BIB

• Black box with red waves emerging: click on this to take data
• Blue band across the top: this is the parameters menu for ping rate.
• The default temperature of 25C is high and could be reset.
• The rest of the defaults should be ok to start.
• Curved line: plot x vs t
• Straight line with little 'v' : plot v vs. t
• Horizontal blue line: plot acceleration vs t
• Big 'Z' : zoom in
• Next one: I forget - maybe delete a point
• Cross: get coordinates of a point
• Curved line and x^2 plot a parabola (by clicking in 3 different places)
• Straight line and x: plot a straight line (by clicking in 2 different places)
• Red torch - I forget
• Under 'Graph Tools' you can find some of these same functions.
• Under 'File' you can save the current data set. This data can be opened in Excel.

• Hold your hand one foot or more from the ranger
• Have your partner start taking data and move your hand
• Try for a constant speed of 1 m/s
• If data is not decent, hold a book or a ball in your hand
• When data is decent, do a line fit of the data and see what velocity you achieved
• Record this data (write down the equation), and sketch the x,t graph.
• Each partner should try to get a constant-speed run. Record both runs.

• Obtain a large (larger than a softball) ball, and practice dropping it
• Hold the ball a foot or more from the ranger
• have your partner start the ranger, then drop the ball
• When data is decent, fit the graph of x,t. (Will a straight line fit this data?)
• Record this data: sketch the graph, label axes, indicate numbers, write the equation.
• Keep the same data and bring up a v,t graph. Fit this graph.
• Record this data. (sketch, label, numbers, equation)
• Discuss with partner and neighbors how to obtain acceleration from x,t and v,t fits.
• Determine a in m/s^2 for both x,t and v,t runs. These should not disagree by more than 15% or so.
• Switch partners, do another ball drop.
• One partner should fit the x,t data and record it.
• Then the other partner should fit the same data and record that.
• (This gives an indication of variability in people fitting the same data.)
• Fit v,t data and record it. (Each partner do an independent fit.)
• If time permits, do one more run of dropping the ball.
• Give a rough indication of ball color, size and texture. Do not 'mass' the ball.

• This is a record of what you did in the lab.
• Include details of what you did and how you did it.
• Sketches should include 2 sig figures to indicate values on axes
• Equations must be recorded from your computer screen.
• Evaluate equations to determine acceleration. Show a sample calculation for this work.
• Compute the average and standard deviation of all acceleration values.
• [Note: due to buoyant effects of air, and some slight air resistance effects, we expect the value of acceleration to be somewhat smaller than 9.8 m/s^2